This is my go-to recipe right now. I started making these chimichangas a few months ago using this recipe, and I’ve experimented with every imaginable filling since, from ground turkey to shredded chicken to this version, which is my favorite: shredded beef.

Every variation has been delicious – and slightly healthier than your average chimichanga, since these are baked, not fried! – but I love shredded beef in Mexican food and it’s extra delicious in this recipe. These are perfect for your stay-at-home Cinco de Mayo feast this week!

If you’re not a shredded beef fan, you can try any of the other fillings mentioned, or you could probably even make this recipe work with refried or black beans. Add some Spanish rice on the side and a big batch of restaurant-style salsa, and you’ve got yourself a meal!

I like to make a pot roast in the Crock-Pot one night, and then I use the leftovers for this recipe another night. That way, the meat’s already cooked and it just needs to be seasoned and stuffed into tortillas. You can always cook your roast in a slow cooker on the same day and then make these chimichangas in the evening when the meat is cooked and tender.

The method behind this chimichanga recipe is brilliant because you brush both sides of each tortilla with melted butter before filling it and wrapping it up. The buttery tortillas then bake to crispy perfection in the oven, and they truly do taste just like fried chimichangas from your favorite restaurant – this recipe completely lives up to its claim!

I’ve, um, been making it more than once a week on occasion. It’s that good.

I find I can get by with using a bit less butter, and I usually melt the same amount no matter how many chimichangas I’m making. If you’re trying to make these extra healthy, I think you could get by with even less.

This recipe is super flexible, so if you only have an 8-pack of tortillas or tortillas that are smaller, add more filling to each and make eight chimis. If you have 12, thin out the filling a bit and make 12. I’ve used the same amount of filling and butter to make various different amounts and it’s worked out nicely each time. You can always add extra cheese if need be.

Also, the cheese sprinkled on top is arguably the best part! Some of it inevitably spills onto the pan, and in my house, everyone wants to claim those deliciously burnt pieces for themselves.

I like to top these crispy, cheesy chimichangas with sour cream, cilantro, and as mentioned, a generous scoop of homemade salsa.

It’s just like being in a Mexican restaurant! Which I could totally go for right now, and I’m guessing I’m not the only one.

May the rest of this quarantine be short-lived and may your Cinco de Mayo meal be a close second to your favorite Mexican restaurant’s!

SHREDDED BEEF CHIMICHANGAS
Adapted from Tasty Kitchen
Yield: 10 servings
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. leftover roast, slow-cooked and shredded
1 can Rotel
1 cup water
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. dried or fresh cilantro
2 tsp. dried oregano
½ cup sour cream
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
10 large flour tortillas (burrito size)
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese, for serving
Fresh cilantro, for garnish
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add cooked beef, Rotel, water, and seasonings. Stir and cook until liquid has evaporated.
Remove from heat. Add sour cream and ½ cup cheese; stir until melted.
Brush both sides of each tortilla with melted butter and spread a strip of the beef filling down the center of each one. Fold like burritos or envelopes and place in a nonstick baking dish, spaced so they do not touch. (I recommend a baking pan with edges in case the filling spills).
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until chimichangas are golden and crispy. Sprinkle with additional ½ cup cheese and return to oven to melt. Remove as soon as the cheese has melted, and garnish with fresh cilantro.